👟 Van Hoecke Qualifies for NCAA Championships on Day Two of Prelims
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Kansas sophomore Samantha Van Hoecke qualified for her first career NCAA Outdoor Championships on the second day of the NCAA West Preliminary on Thursday, clearing a personal best 4.27m (14-0 ft.) in the women’s pole vault.
Van Hoecke became the fourth Jayhawk to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, to be held June 9-12 in Eugene, Oregon, joining Gleb Dudarev (hammer throw), Zach Bradford (pole vault) and Hussain Al-Hizam (pole vault).
Van Hoecke was nearly perfect on Thursday, clearing on her first three heights without a miss. Needing to place in the top-12 to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Van Hoecke came through with a personal best clearance on her second attempt at 4.27m (14-0 ft.), making her the No. 6 performer in KU outdoor history in the event.
Van Hoecke is the first KU women’s NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in the pole vault since Andrea Willis qualified in 2018.
In the women’s shot put, junior Alexandra Emilianov placed 22nd overall with a top throw of 15.97m (52-4.75 ft.). Emilianov will have another opportunity to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on Saturday in the women’s discus.
On the track, sophomore Avryl Johnson made her NCAA preliminary debut, placing 28th in the women’s 1,500 meters in 4:27.82. In the women’s 200 meters, senior Jedah Caldwell finished 36th overall in 23.56.
Day three of the NCAA West Preliminary will pick up with the men’s competition on Friday beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
